Retailers aren't "introducing" themselves through email

Two recent studies from the Email Experience Council (EEC) indicate that email marketers are not doing all that they could for those on their email lists. While most marketers are making it easier for users to subscribe to an email list, they are not properly introducing themselves to new subscribers.

by Kristina Knight

The "onboard" emails, those which introduce a new user to the email program and explain what they could expect, are where retailers are falling short the most. According to the EEC, only about 6% of email marketers introduce new subscribers to the list. By not onboarding new users, retailers are missing out on opportunities to ingratiate themselves with the user, possibly encouraging them to be active members who clickthrough the ads to the website.

Retailers are doing some things right, however. In the past year email marketers have simplified how users sign up for email lists. About 43% now allow users to sign up through a simple one-click process on the website homepage. Also about 50% of email marketers are following the best practice of addressing privacy concerns.

Also in the report, researchers found that about 28% of marketers have different content options for email lists and about 12% offer plain-text versions of all email messages.